Fire extinguisher sprinkler head



Dec. 8, 1953 L|M 2,661,805

FIRE EXTINGUISHER SPRINKLER HEAD Filed March 5, 1951 INVENTOR. /0 7 PETER L/M nrromvsy Patented Dec. 8, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FIRE EXTINGUISHER SPRINKLER HEAD Peter Los Angeles, Calif.

ApplicatiQnMarch ,5, 1951, Serial No. 213,858

My invention relates generally to pressurized, automatic vaporizing liquid sprinkler units for extinguishing fires, andrnore particularly to the sprinkler heads-thereof;

An object of my invention is to provide a fire extinguisher sprinkler head structurally characterized by means which enables the extinguishantof the unit to be finely atomized thoroughly over a maximum area in a minimum time following release ofthe valve of the sprinkler head by the heat responsive fuse thereof, all so as to obtain the most efficient use possible of the unit by controlling and extinguishing a fire before same has ained any appreciable headway, thus effectively protecting the relatively large area Within the extensive range of operation of the ni a ainst amag by fi e.

Another object of my invention is to provide a fire extinguisher sprinkler head of the above described character which embodies a movably mounted'spray nozzle normally maintained in a retracted position within the body of the'head by the valve of the latter against the internal pressure of the extinguishant, which pressure is automatically operable upon a release of the valve by the fuse, to move the nozzle to a projected position wherein the tip of the nozzle, will be exposed sufiiciently to be free and unobstructed by the body of the head, so as to utilize the nozzle,

at its maximum efficiency in discharging a finely atomized spray of extinguishant over the widest possible area, and thus obtain maximum fire protection from the unit.

With these and other objects in view, my invention resides in the combinations, arrangements and functional relationships of elements as set forth-in the following specification and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings,

I Figure 1 is a view showing partly in side eleva-.. tion and partly in central, vertical longitudinal section one form of fire ext nguisher sprinkler head embodying my invention, and illustrating the set position of the head; 7

Figure 2 is a, vertical longitudinal sectional view taken on the. line 2-2 of Figure l, and illustrating the head in released position;

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of, Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the atomizing 7 Referring specifically to the drawings, my in 5 Claims. (01. 169-41.)

cast metal support S composedof an elongated body I!) having oppositely curved arms ll= extending therefrom at diametrically opposed points and rigidly connected by a hub l2 co-axially related to a smooth, open-ended bore 13 extending longitudinally through the body [0- and uniformly tapered to decrease in diameter to wards that end which constitutes an outlet l4 bounded by annular valve seat I5.

Between the body It and the hub l2, the arms II form a large, generally oval shaped opening it for a valve IT, a cup I8, and a thermo-responsive or fusible element H),- the latter being confined tightly between the valve and cup'by a pin 26 (Figure 2) fixed in the hub l2 andsupporting the cup. The valve I7 is thus maintained in fluidtight engagement with the valve seat I5, with a guide teat 2| on the valve entering the bore 13 to maintain the-valve in co-axial relation to the seat, all as clearly shown in Figure l.

Movably mounted in the bore [3 of the body I0 is an atomizing spray nozzle 25 in the form of a tube, the major portion of the length of which is longitudinally tapered externally as indicated at 26, to correspond with the taper of the bore l3'and to decrease in diameter towards the tip 27 of the nozzle in which is a flared outlet port 28.

The remaining portion of the length of the nozzle 25 is externally cylindrical as indicated at 30, and is reduced in diameter to define an annular stop shoulder 3!. A retaining element 32- in the form of a ring, has an internal diameter 33' to freely receive the cylindrical portion 3a of the nozzle, and is tapered externally as indicated at 34 to enter and have a press fit in the larger end of the bore l3 so as to permanently be secured in the latter and thus co-act with the teat 2iv of the valve ll" in confining the nozzle in itsretracted position wherein the nozzle fits loosely in the bore l3 as shown in Figure 1.

Adjacent toits free end, the nozzle 25- is pro vided internally with an annular seat 35 for a disk 36*.havinghe1ically extending slots 31 in its peripheryfor imparting axwhirling motion to liquid dischargingfrom the nozzle, all so as to -more effectively atomize the liquid.

The. body H] is: providedwithexternal screw threads 402, to enable the: body to: be screwed into the; threaded bore M of an outlet. collar 42: pro vided on the bottornof a tank or container 43 for the pressurized liquid fire exting-uishant, so as: to supportnthe sprinkler head from the corrtainer in the vertical; subtending position shown: in Figures 1 and 2.

lit.v will be, understood that the container $3,: ct-

which only the bottom portion is shown for the purpose of illustrating my present invention, may be anchored or suspended in an elevated position from the ceiling of a room or roof of a building, or from any suitable support over the area to be protected against fire.

The operation of the invention is as follows:

Let it be assumed that the container 43 has been charged with carbon tetrachloride and liquid carbon dioxide to approximately 90 p. si. i., and is suspended near the ceiling of a room or other enclosure to be protected. The sprinkler head embodying my invention will occup the set position shown in Figure 1, from which it will be noted that the upper end of the retracted nozzle 25 extends above the lowest point in the container 43 so as to form a guard wall and co-act with the retaining element 32 in protecting the interior of the nozzle against any sediment accumulatingon the container bottom around the nozzle, all so as to prevent clogging of the latter.

Should a fire occur, the resulting abnormal rise in temperature will cause the fuse 19 to burst and free the valve 11 for movement from its seat by the nozzle 25, which, under the pressure of the extinguishant, is instantly moved from its retracted position in the body in spaced relation to the outlet [4 or" the bore I3, to its projected position shown in Figure 2 wherein the tip 21 of the nozzle is exposed beyond the end of the body, and the tapered peripheral surface 26 of the nozzle is in fluid-sealed engagement with the wall of the bore l3. It will be noted that the retaining element 32 acts to guide the nozzle rectilinearly in its movement and to maintain the nozzle in co-axial relationship with the bore l3 so as to insure a perfect seal between the nozzle and body when the nozzle occupies its projected position.

a With the tip 21 thus exposed beyond the lower end of the body I, the wall of the bore [3 cannot obstruct the discharge of extinguishant from the nozzle as is the case with nozzles of the fixed type which are permanently supported in the body with their tips spaced inwardly from the outlet end of the bore.

Thus, it will be clear that under the pressure in the container 43, the extinguishant will be discharged from the port 28 in the form of a finely atomized whirling spray or vapor throughout anextremely wide angle as indicated by the broken lines in Figure 2, so as to cover a much larger area than will the relatively ineificient nozzles of the fixed type heretofore proposed, which have their spraying area very materially reduced by being recessed in a supporting structure.

It will be understood that although my invention has been specifically described in connection with a pressured automatic, self-contained extinguishing unit, that the invention is equally well adapted for use in the well known water sprinkling systems controlled by fusible elements located at various points along water distributing conduits, and that therefore this disclosure and claims are to be construed broadly as covering all types of fire extinguishing units and systems.

I claim:

1. A fire extinguisher sprinkler head comprising: a support having a longitudinally tapered bore therethrough, the smaller end of which is bounded by an annular valve seat and forms a bottom outlet for a container of fire extinguishant under pressure; a valve for said outlet; a thermoresponsive element normally maintaining said valve in engagement with said seat to close said outlet, and releasing said valve to open said outlet when said element is subjected to a predetermined maximum temperature; a longitudinally tapered nozzle having a spray tip at its smaller end and being movable longitudinally in said bore; and means confining the nozzle against displacement from the larger end of said bore and co-acting with said valve when closed, to maintain the nozzle in a retracted position in the bore for movement of the nozzle by pressure 01 the extinguishant when said valve is released, to a projected position wherein the nozzle is sealed fluid-tight against the wall of the bore and the tip of the nozzle is exposed below said outlet so as to be free to spray extinguishant throughout an extremely wide area; said taper of said nozzle being in close proximity to the bore wall in the retracted position of the nozzle, so as to guide the nozzle substantially oo-axially of the bore from retracted to projected position in order to prevent tilting of the nozzle against the bore wall in the projected position of the nozzle.

2. A fire extinguisher sprinkler head comprising: a support having a longitudinally tapered bore therethrough, the smaller end of which is bounded by an annular valve seat and forms a bottom outlet for a container of fire extinguishant under pressure; a valve for said outlet; a thermoresponsive element normally maintaining said valve in engagement with said seat to close said outlet, and releasing said valve to open said outlet when said element is subjected to a predetermined maximum temperature; a longitudinally tapered nozzle having a spray tip at its smaller end and being movable longitudinally inrsaid bore; and a retaining element in said bore, in which a cylindrical portion of the nozzle is slidably fitted to guide the nozzle substantially coaxially against tilting movements from a retracted position when said valve is closed, to a projected position by pressure of the extinguishant when said valve is released, and wherein the nozzle is sealed fluid-tight against the wall of said bore and the tip of the nozzle is exposed below said outlet so as to be free to spray extinguishant over an extremely wide area.

3. A fire extinguisher sprinkler head comprising: a support having a longitudinally tapered bore therethrough, the smaller end of which is bounded by an annular valve seat and forms a bottom outlet for a container of fire extinguishant under pressure; a valve for said outlet; a thermoresponsive element normally maintaining said valve in engagement with said seat to close said outlet, and releasing said valve to open said outlet when said element is subjected to a predetermined maximum temperature; a longitudinally tapered nozzle having a spray tip at its smaller end and being movable longitudinally in said bore; a portion of said nozzle being reduced in diameter and externally cylindrical to define an annular stop shoulder; and a retaining ring fixed in said bore, in which saidcylindrical portion of the nozzle is reciprocably mounted and rectilinearly guided during movement of the nozzle, for co-action with said stop shoulder in confining said nozzle against displacement from the larger end of said bore; said tip of the nozzle being engaged by said valve when closed, so as to maintain the nozzle in a retracted position in said bore, for movement of the nozzle by pressure of the extinguishant when said valve is released, to a projected position wherein the nozzle seats. fluid-tight against the wall of said bore and the tip of the nozzle is exposed below said outlet so as to be free to spray extinguishant throughout an extremely wide angle.

4. A sprinkler head for fire extinguishing units comprising: a support having a longitudinally tapered bore therethrough bounded at its smaller end by an annular valve seat; a valve having a centering teat; a thermo-responsive element normally maintaining said valve in engagement with said seat and with said teat projecting into said bore; a longitudinally tapered nozzle having a spray tip at its smaller end and being reduced in diameter for a portion of its larger end which is cylindrical to define an annular stop shoulder; and a retaining ring fixed in the larger end of said bore, and in which said cylindrical portion of said nozzle is slidably fitted to guide the nozzle substantially co-axially of the bore throughout movement of the nozzle, with said ring and stop shoulder co-acting to confine the nozzle against displacement from the larger end of said bore; said valve teat co-acting with the spray tip of said nozzle to maintain the nozzle in a retracted position in said bore when the valve is engaging said seat, against movement of the valve to a projected position when said valve is disengaged from said seat, and wherein said spray tip is exposed beyond to end of the bore and the nozzle is sealed fluid-tight against the wall of the bore to limit the projected position of the nozzle.

5. A sprinkler head for fire extinguishing units comprising: a support having a longitudinally tapered open-ended bore bounded at its smaller end by a valve seat; a valve; a thermo-responsive element maintaining said valve closed in fluidsealing engagement with said seat; a longitudinally tapered nozzle having a spray tip at its smaller end and being mounted for movement longitudinally in said bore from a retracted position in which the nozzle is maintained by said valve when closed, to a projected position in which said nozzle is sealed fluid-tight against the wall of said bore, with the tip of the nozzle exposed beyond the end of the bore, when the valve is released from said seat; and a retaining element fixed in said bore and having a cylindrical bore in which said nozzle is slidably fitted so as to be guided co-axially of the bore and be retained against displacement from the larger end of said bore.

' PETER LIM.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 278,216 Brown May 22, 1883 1,362,223 Braman Dec. 14, 1920 2,389,332 Tyden Nov. 20, 1945 2,493,982 Lee Jan. 10, 1950 

